


to the sun and back

by monarchs



Series: The Ark and Its Renegades [3]
Category: The Social Network (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Dystopia, Homelessness, Hybrids, M/M, Rain, Romance, Sexual Content, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-20 21:46:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21063686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monarchs/pseuds/monarchs
Summary: They're hesitant about sex, but they figure it out.





	to the sun and back

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @sundays, without whom this AU would never have gotten a prequel and an epilogue.
> 
> This fic would make more sense if you read the previous parts to this [series](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1509629).

Most songs after the Last Summer were about rain or sunshine, the way songs before were always about love and breakups. To Mark, it seemed like music had long lost its charm, so he barely gave them a thought, only looked around for useful things like blankets, bottles, and beer. 

To Eduardo though, it was something else. (Another past, another story, another old world thing lost to the rain.)

They had just broken into an old mansion. The study had a vinyl player and a panoply of records to choose from. Some were framed, some were discarded on the floor. Eduardo took a step towards them, touched them, picked them up, flipped them around, put them back on the shelves, handled them the way he would with family heirlooms.  
  
  
  
It was almost winter, an end of November that proved to be saturnine. The rain was unrelenting still, but the sound was softer around the edges, though the days grew short and the nights longer.

"My father used to have this one," Eduardo said, rueful, tilting the vinyl so that Mark could see its cover. Mark looked at it, pensive. Eduardo couldn't tell if Mark recognized the artist or not, but then even Eduardo couldn't remember his name, and the slip was faded where the album name was printed. Mark looked really good though, his profile soft, his curls softer, as he peeked over, frowning at the record.

"Not a very handsome artist," Mark remarked, before dismissing it and turning back to wiping the dust off his beer bottles. They were Dixies. A southeast brand that shut down after a hurricane destroyed one of the country's oldest brewery in... well, Eduardo couldn't remember where or when exactly anymore.

"One of the songs went like this," Eduardo said, distracted, and then hummed the tune. It didn't sound quite like what it sounded in his mind, nor his memories.

Mark turned his head and kissed Eduardo so suddenly Eduardo moaned in surprise. 

After they broke apart for air, Eduardo sighed. "I'm assuming that meant you didn't enjoy my humming very much," he said against Mark's lips.

Mark shrugged. "Continue if you want," he said, then kissed Eduardo again, crawling into Eduardo's lap.

Mark was intoxicating - Eduardo could only kiss back, his arms wrapping around Mark, bringing him closer.

They kissed a lot lately. Cuddled too. And Mark had this thing with rubbing his forehead into Eduardo's side or nuzzling his shoulder or something. Apparently it was a cat thing. Something to do with claiming, because cats had scent glands all over their face, and well.

Mark had been embarrassed when Eduardo had asked. He kept changing subjects, and Eduardo didn't want to push it, so he let it go, thinking Mark already told so much in his angrily affectionate gestures anyways.

Besides, Eduardo liked it, the scenting, tried doing the same sometimes, so Mark wouldn't feel so weird about himself.

Like right now: Eduardo swept Mark's curls from his forehead and pressed his against Mark's, gently, their noses almost touching. 

"Wardo," Mark shivered, retreating a bit.

"Did I do something wrong?" Eduardo murmured. He looked at Mark, who was now looking at their hands. After a moment, Mark shook his head, as if he'd decided on something in his mind (decided he wasn't going to tell what was going on, in his mind).

"Dustin - he was my roommate," Mark said, out of the blue. "He liked Star Wars and pop music and comics and talking. I just remember Star Wars, you know. Bits of it. I think - I don't know," Mark paused, "I don't remember much anymore."

Eduardo nodded gently. Mark had mentioned Dustin once before. "I don't remember much either."

"There are things I'd really rather not remember anymore," Mark admitted, and then, "you were right. You hum poorly."

Eduardo nosed Mark's curls. "Gee, thanks. Way to make a guy feel special."

Mark tried straddling Eduardo more comfortably, smiling cheekily, and Eduardo had to hold his breath and think of something else. He steadied Mark with an arm but that only made Mark rub against his crotch more for some reason, so he sat still, waiting for Mark to sit.

"Did we check the valves? And the power switches?" Eduardo asked, nervous, not sure where to look, not sure where to think. 

Mark wrapped his arms around Eduardo's shoulders and neck. "Yeah," he said, rather evenly. "We both did."

Mark pressed down on Eduardo, purposefully. Eduardo couldn't help but yelp. "Mark..."

"The foundations too," Mark added, like he was checking off items in a bullet list, "and I patrolled the town, didn't sniff out any Officers or dead shit or new mold. And there aren't any white wolves. We're safe. And alone."

Eduardo scoffed. "Okay."

"And I found condoms," Mark said into Eduardo's ear, like it was a secret, and then, with a sort of sleight-of-hand flick of his hand, produced the item in question. 

"You're full of surprises," Eduardo said around another scoff.

Mark shrugged, and then leaned in. "Are we doing this or not?"

Eduardo smiled sadly, but then nodded, cupping Mark's face and kissing him softly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mark stopped Eduardo for a second, a hand on Eduardo's shoulder, a frown on his own face. "Wait, Wardo."

Eduardo had just pushed him against a couch, and Mark was examining it. 

"Everything okay?" Eduardo asked, breathing a little hard, from all the kissing.

"I don't think the couch is clean," Mark said, eyeing said furniture with a glare that could probably burn holes. He was arching away from the cushion, and clinging onto Eduardo.

Eduardo smiled gently, holding Mark by the small of his back. "Hey, we could move to the bed. You cleaned the bed upstairs already, right?"

"Yeah," Mark said, looking a little uneasy. "I'm sorry-- I--"

Eduardo shook his head. "Mark, it's okay, I get it."

Mark nodded, his gaze mostly down. "Okay."

They moved to the bedroom upstairs, kissing all the way. Eduardo could tell Mark was getting impatient about it, whenever Eduardo pulled back for another kiss, but he couldn't help it, Mark just looked especially kissable when he was eager, when his attention was so direct and sharp and focused. On Eduardo -- on getting Eduardo in bed. 

"Wardo, you fucker, the bed's _right there_\--"

Eduardo kissed the corner of Mark's mouth, where it curved, where Eduardo could taste Mark's smile.

He hummed against it, some seventies' song about love and romance, about postwar hope and peace of mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Eduardo still had most of his clothes on. It was easy to get Mark out of his hoodie and his t-shirt, but Mark had trouble unbuttoning Eduardo's shirt past the third button. Perhaps it was because of how much Eduardo interrupted him with kisses to the collar bone, to the scar at the side of his neck, to his ears, now a little pink from all of Eduardo's attention.

"Wardo--" Mark said, and it was clear, with the way he was frowning with his eyes closed, that he really wanted to get on with the program. He gave up on Eduardo's buttons and decided to kiss him harder, pulling him down, his fingers clenched on Eduardo's shirt, never letting go.

Eduardo reached around, hands going down, memorizing planes and curves. When he reached Mark's bottom, he squeezed a little, asking for permission.

"Yes," Mark whispered against Eduardo's mouth. 

Eduardo nosed down Mark's neck, and then kneaded Mark's ass firmly.

Mark shivered a little, and Eduardo realized he might be a little cold without his hoodie, so he tucked him close, and their crotches rubbed a little, and Mark let out a noiseless 'oh', looking down, pressing his forehead against Eduardo's chest.

It took Eduardo a while before he realized Mark was trying to undo the front of his pants. 

"Whoa-- Mark--"

"You're big," Mark said, almost matter-of-fact.

"I--" Eduardo wanted to hide his face. This wasn't his first time, but somehow being told by Mark that he was... that was something else altogether. 

"Want me to blow you?" Mark asked, eyes fixated on Eduardo's dick.

Eduardo flushed up instantly. "Um."

Mark licked his lower lip, but not in any kind of sensual way. He looked... more nervous than anything. "It's been a while," he said, then, "since-- I-- with-- oh, never mind."

Eduardo scowled mildly. Mark was remembering the labs. Because that was the last time he had given--the last time he was-- the last time he... Eduardo didn't want to think about it.

Mark started to kneel down, but Eduardo pulled him back up, gently. "Mark-- you don't have to. Get up-- " 

"I want to."

"I don't need--"

"I need it."

Eduardo softened his expression. "How about just your hands?"

Mark widened his eyes. "Just my hands?"

"Yeah. A handjob-- you know."

Mark looked down, and then, after a beat, asked, "are we fucking?"

Eduardo bit his lower lip. "You mean, later?"

"Now."

"Well, if the foreplay--"

"We've been kissing for the past decade. How long is foreplay going to be?"

Eduardo frowned. "I wasn't aware you didn't like the kissing."

Mark took a few steps back and sat on the bed. He grabbed for his hoodie and put it on, rubbing his sides. "I didn't say that," he said, finally.

Eduardo looked down at the floor. "I don't know, Mark. I don't want to mess it up."

Mark looked out the window. "I like kissing you."

Eduardo felt his heart clench. "I don't want to rush you."

Mark nodded, looking a little less agitated now. "You're not."

Eduardo walked to Mark and leaned down to kiss him again. "Maybe you could fuck me, tonight," he suggested.

Mark widened his eyes. "I--" he looked down. 

Eduardo felt a little nervous, but he meant it. He'd imagine them switching anyways. He liked the idea of being under Mark too, somehow it made him feel safe.

But then Mark said, "I don't know. Seems tedious," shrugging, almost nonchalant.

Eduardo burst out laughing. "Tedious?" but then he saw Mark look a little mortified, and so Eduardo murmured, "is this a cat thing?"

Mark bobbed his head vaguely, not offering any extra information.

Eduardo kissed him again, his hands moving from Mark's cheeks to his hair, to the back of his head, and neck. Mark pressed against his hands like they were his support, his pillars.

"Stop me if there's something you don't want to do. Just say it, I'll stop," Eduardo promised.

Mark kissed back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was funny how there wasn't much conclusion to the conversation. They just carried on. Mark's hoodie was pulled up instead of over, and Eduardo was kissing down, doing all the work, but loving it too much to complain.

Mark's legs tried to hook over his back, which was really cute, Eduardo thought, humming satisfaction into Mark's skin, placing kisses here and there, in no particular order. He moved back and forth, covering all grounds, all skin, went up to kiss Mark on the nose or his ears again sometimes.

He loved Mark's ears, in fact.

Mark tugged at Eduardo's pants, trying to get them off, and Eduardo let him.

Shadows of raindrops danced lightly from the window, onto Mark's pale skin, and Eduardo wished it wasn't that beautiful (because this eternal rain was the world's fucking bane, wasn't it), but fuck, it was.

It just was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Eduardo moaned, knees bucking, nose in the curve of Mark's neck, as Mark touched his dick, fisted it, dragging his fingers over its length, around its girth.

Mark kissed lazily, like he had all the time in the world, and it drove Eduardo insane. They would stop everything just to kiss, and Eduardo was glad because he had thought maybe Mark didn't really like it, but it was clear he did - he kissed like he could just kiss, he kissed like there was nothing else he'd rather do.

Eduardo stroked him, hand sliding, gliding, teasing. They were going to come this way, and it was really good, Eduardo felt both safe and comfortable, and he could tell that Mark was okay too, with just handjobs under the covers, with most of their clothes still on, with unused condoms discarded on the floor.

(The feeling of safety was so much more important. And with it, a certain sense of trust, love-- of human right, of solace.)

Mark came first, biting down on a moan, a moan that reverberated through Eduardo's entire body like lightning through a storm, and soon after Mark, he came too, his come caught on the waistband of his boxers, on the hem of Mark's hoodie, on flushed skin between them.

They evened their breath against each other, pressed their lips together, eyes closed, nose bumping, Mark saying a soft almost inaudible, "thank you."  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
"I left Dustin behind," Mark whispered, when they were lying on their sides, facing each other. They had changed into fresh clothes that smelled like wild flowers, and Mark had some light on his face, and the shadow of rain. 

Eduardo softened his expression. Visions of Mark being in a cage flashed in his eyes again, and he had to shake them off, swallow hard, breathe a little. "You've got to put your own oxygen mask first before helping someone else," he said, though he wasn't sure it sounded all that convincing.

Mark buried half of his face into the pillow. "I could have at least unlocked his pod."

Eduardo reached out and touched Mark's arm. "We could go back."

Mark looked like he was going to cry, but he closed his eyes instead and said, "I thought I was over it."

Eduardo pulled Mark closer, pushing his forehead against Mark's. 

Mark whined almost inaudibly, pressing back a little. "Don't --- don't do that unless you mean it."

Eduardo closed his eyes. "Don't do what?"

"Press your forehead against me. It's cat code for 'I lo--'" Mark stopped himself, then retreated and turned around so his back was facing Eduardo instead. "Never mind."

Eduardo wrapped his arms around Mark, smiling into Mark's shoulder blade. "Cat code for what?"

Mark kept silent for a while, but then:

"Don't be obtuse, cats don't code," Mark murmured.  
  
  
  
Eduardo exhaled softly, nuzzling Mark's back, and Mark breathed deeply, he could feel it, like their breathing was in unison, like it was one.  
  
  
  
One day they would have to make a full circle though, Eduardo thought.

He had thought of it before - and he didn't care back then, that he was walking towards a dead end, because things in the Outer Zones could only be expiring death. But now that Mark - now that things were different - it was hard to think of the future in that kind of light anymore.

Eduardo wanted more time. He wanted Mark to have more time - he wanted to go back, give up on the sun, only because he knew there was something (someone) else now he'd never give up, ever.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The rain sounded further and further away now. Mark was breathing slowly, and Eduardo was drifting to sleep.  
  
  
  
For a moment the shower ebbed, retreated into silence. For a moment it felt like sun shined on Eduardo's back, on the back of Mark's ears, on the back of their minds. Like a distant memory that they could finally keep, for another rainy night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. If you liked it, please let me know your thoughts? please.


End file.
